Thursday, November 17, 2011

Giveaway & Guest Post by Rhianon Etzweiler for Riptide

Welcome, Ladies and Gents of the Lair... I want to welcome you to week long party! Let the party continue...

Lair.... Let's put together a warm welcome for Rhianon!

What do you like most about writing?Control. Or rather, the muse-permitted illusion of control. Yeah, that’d be more accurate. My muses are generous. They let me think I’ve got control over every last detail in the story, the choice and placement of every word. It’s a lovely illusion, let me tell you…Actually, what I love most about writing is the possibilities. The worlds and people, the places and characters you can explore. The only limit is your imagination. It’s my artistic medium of choice, you might say.

What genre do you write mostly and what appeals to you most about your genre?I don’t perceive myself as adhering to a specific genre label, actually. But if I need to label myself, I’d say I write speculative fiction and gay romance. What appeals to me most about it is the flexibility. I make the rules, as I write. There are no preconceived notions about what the story will or will not be, with that label.I prefer the label of gay romance genre over any other romance label, for much the same reason. It’s a nebulous group, with leniency, elasticity. There are some expectations within the M/M genre, but the niche is still young, comparatively, and I will enjoy its expansion over the coming years.

What is the most interesting thing you have learned from your research?Narasimha is a demi-god, a half-lion half-man incarnation of Vishnu. Statues oftentimes show him wrist-deep in the abdomen of a human man arched over his lap, tossing entrails about.

What fascinates you most about writing m/m?The power struggle. It’s inevitable, really, whenever testosterone meets testosterone. It isn’t always blatant, doesn’t always manifest physically, but it’s present. I enjoy exploring the dynamics, the parallels and similarities, the contrasts. There’s a different energy. Not sure how to describe it.

What does your family think of you writing erotica?They don’t mind, they think it’s great that I’m doing what I love, something for which I have a passion.

What would you tell a reader reluctant to read erotica?Quality writing is genreless. And sexuality is nothing to be ashamed of. On the other hand, everyone has their favored means of escapism, their preferred genres. It’s much like one’s preference for one alcohol over another. Doesn’t make one better than another, it’s a personal preference for what you enjoy, that’s all.

Have you ever tested out one of your sex scenes on your significant other?Without them being aware of it? Yes.

Is there any topic you find taboo?No, not if it legitimately falls within the realm of the story’s plot.

What role do you think toys play in sex?Do guns count as toys?

Do you think food has a place in sex?For me, food porn occurs in the kitchen, and never involves actual intercourse. Foreplay with clothes on, sure. Teasing the tastebuds with a fine wine and a slow-cooked lamb shank stew is a very pleasant form of prolonged foreplay. This is usually as far as I’ll go with food in my writing, as well. I prefer the sex to further the plot in some fashion. “He squirted honey all over the man’s nipples, and then slowly sucked each clean”—doesn’t strike me as doing a great deal to move the plot along. Unless there’s a pollen-borne virus rampant in the area, and the bees used it to make the honey, or something.

What do you think of role play?In writing? My characters are already playing roles, so to speak. At times, even, a role within a role. If you’re referring to kink or fetish-play… well, I’m not inclined to go there in my writing, unless it furthers the main overarching plot in some fashion.

What do you think of orgies?I prefer my stories to be plot-driven and engage emotional investment, in both the characters and reader. It’s rare that straight-up orgy erotica does that sort of thing. I’m not a writer of fluff, and I don’t read it either.

What’s the spiciest thing you can think of right now?Cayenne pepper, ground. A whole bottle of it.

What do you enjoy the most about being a writer?Control. Or rather, the muse-permitted illusion of control. Yeah, that’d be more accurate. My muses are generous. They let me think I’ve got control over every last detail in the story, the choice and placement of every word. It’s a lovely illusion, let me tell you…Actually, what I love most about writing is the possibilities. The worlds and people, the places and characters you can explore. The only limit is your imagination. It’s my artistic medium of choice, you might say.

What do you find the most challenging about being a writer?Finishing a story. I hate to let things end. I grow to love the characters so much through the course of a story unraveling, and like life—the story never truly ends, right? I try to see it as more of “finding a stopping point” instead. It helps.

What genre(s) do you write and why?I don’t perceive myself as adhering to a specific genre label, actually. But if I need to label myself, I’d say I write speculative fiction and gay romance. What appeals to me most about it is the flexibility. I make the rules, as I write. There are no preconceived notions about what the story will or will not be, with that label.I prefer the label of gay romance genre over any other romance label, for much the same reason. It’s a nebulous group, with leniency, elasticity. There are some formulaic expectations within the M/M genre, but the niche is still young, comparatively, and I will enjoy its expansion over the coming years.

What's the one thing you wished you had known about the publishing world before you got into the biz?I walked into it with eyes wide open. It’s work—lots of it, really hard. It’s more than just writing stories. I wish someone would have explained a decade ago that it’s as much a business, the endeavor of being an author, as running a small firm is. You gotta go out there and sell yourself, ensure the visibility—being the ‘best kept secret’ doesn’t sell a thing. A little like politics, too, in its own way. Shake hands, kiss babies and old ladies on the cheeks. Except my stories deliver…

Are you a plotter or pantser?I’ve been largely a pantser, mostly. And when in the early formative stages, I do it that way. But plotting becomes more necessary, the longer a story gets and the larger it grows. Planning becomes a requisite. So I’ve begun adopting a blend of the two. I use outlines like training wheels. Not a set path, just to keep things balanced. I swear by Scrivener. Best program ever invented.

Any advice you’d like to share with aspiring authors?The largest obstacle you will ever come up against is finishing the first one. Write it, and stop getting in your own way doing it. Hardest lesson to learn, and you’ll probably have to keep relearning it.

Do you have any other hobbies that you enjoy?I have a joy of all things soldierporn. I drive out to the nearby National Guard base quite often, and just sit and watch the Black Hawks and Chinooks. I could watch them for hours. Listening to the roar of the rotors, the wind of the rotorwash, as they hover feet, and inches, above the ground. Like cicadas on steroids.

What inspired you to pen this sexy tale?Years ago, in a galaxy far away, I stumbled across a “Red Light District” anthology call. A good friend and fellow writer challenged me to write something completely different, and I tackled the idea for NanoWrimo that year. I recall thinking that ‘red light’ was slightly cliché, so I turned it blue. I made my streetwalkers sell something besides sex, and Black’s story was born. I actually subbed the first chapter to the anthology as a standalone short, but it was rejected. So the next year for NanoWrimo, I worked on expanding it into something larger. It grew into the full-length novel that is now “Blacker Than Black.”

What’s the one thing readers can always count on when they pick up a book written by you?The unexpected.

If you could be any mythical/fantasy creature what would you be and why?I would love to be a firebird, a phoenix. To live so long as to watch the evolution of life, the cycles and patterns, the order in chaos. To be immortal, reborn from my own ashes, over and over again, feel the winds of time beneath my wings.

What do you think is sexy?Regardless of gender, the sexiest feature for me is the mind. I’ve known some physically attractive individuals over the years who, the moment they opened their mouth, totally ruined it for me. At any rate, it’s ultimately intellect that attracts me. A lively debate or a controversial discussion that gets the blood flowing and challenges me to think… that’s porn for me. Yes, I’m a geek. Geek is chic. =)

From October 1 to December 31, Riptde authors and editors will set sail on a massive

Grand Opening blog tour!

We're gearing up for three months of games, prizes, interviews, chats, and scavenger hunts, and we'd love to have you along! At each stop along the tour, we'll be giving away great prizes - tons of books from our authors' backlists, swag by the boatload, gift ceritficates to All Romance Ebooks, and entries into the Grand Prize drawings for a Nook, a Kindle, and an iPad.

12 comments:

I can't think of any questions (since I noticed on your website that another story for Black's world is planned). Instead, I'll just say I'm really looking forward to the release of Blacker than Black (less than a month left, YAY!).

Thank you for hosting me, Cecile, and thanks to everyone in your Lair for the warm welcome!

Best of luck to each of you in the giveaway, and be sure to go pre-order yourself a copy of BTB ;) I look forward to hearing what everyone thinks of it, and hoping you each enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. Regards,Rhi

I need to be there...

Looking for Something Smutty

What's Coming Up...

Want Some of my Smut...

Books are my crack & I'll gladly pimp myself out for them. Okay, maybe not myself... But some of my tribal men! I love to READ - hello - that is why I am here!!!
Join me on my journey of reading... I promise if you hold my hand I will be gentle ~ maybe!
I do review books... If you are interested in being here, just let me know!!! I am sure there is something we can work our **Evil laughter**